This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

RE:Nan's oxalis and roundoup


I have been pondering  Nan's oxalis problem which lead to a Round-up
solution suggestion.

I want to give an answer without breaking the rule of getting off the topic
of garden writing so let me preface a possible answer by noting, in my
humble opinion, garden writers can no longer get by with just a knowledge of
soil CHEMISTRY--pH and chemical nutrients. Many of us have to (re)learn soil
BIOLOGY and look at the traditional chemistry with the soil'sbiology in
mind. It is the bacteria and the fungi in the soil that create pH swings or
stability , not the lime pr sulpher you tell your readers to throw on.

Fungi? Bacteria?  Ten years ago no one ever heard of the soil food web. Now
the science behind the soil food web has been well established and is being
taught in major universities. Too bad, Ag agents and master gardeners AND
GARDEN WRITERS are not required to go back to school. Ah, but the soil food
web exists nonetheless. It is simply too logical, to compelling, to much of
an exact fit of pieces to ignore and it is and SHOULD cause a revolution
amongst those involved in the agricultural and horticultural industries,
INCLUDING GARDEN COMMUNICATORS.

This isn't organic gardening vs inorganic gardening. This is Scientific
Gardening (or Scientific Yardening a la Jeff and Liz Ball)vs "gardening is
an art".

So, Nan, I am assuming you had your soil tested. pH and micronutrients play
a part in supporting the oxalis and the chemistry would be helpful, but have
you had your soil tested from a microbiological perspective as well?  It
could be that you have too many bacteria and not enough bacteria predators
and so your soils have elevated levels of NO3--nitrate, which is an
indication of high bacterial soils that need to be brought back into balance
(just a possibility here by way of example). The point is, you can have your
soil tested for microbiology and will tell you lots.

If you want a good lab to do this kind of testing, let me know. In any case,
there may still be hope of avoiding chemicals and for 30 bucks, I think it
is worth the testing and anaylsis which will tell you what you need to
do....it may be a simple as applying a good compost with either a fungal or
bacterial dominated microbial population......

As important, I am not sure that Jeff Ball is correct regarding Round-Up.
Yes it kills the plants. I am not so sure about it not leaving a residue,
however. Yes that is what they tell us. But are we sure that the dead leaves
don't kill some important microbes or fungi? What happens to that dead
plant? I do magic tricks. It is all slight of hand. Where did the Round-up
go?  It all became inert? It breaks apart into something by itself? Isnt it
now part of the food chain as some protein that has to be decayed by some
microbe in the soil and what happens to it? Or are they harmless "salts"
that just happen to suck dry a few million bacteria. Sure new plants can
grow in the area, but what is now missing in the soil that would prevent
disease or play a role in the food cycle?

Anyhow, just a different way of looking at things. I think it is not only
the wave of the future, but it is here now and garden writers, those who
want to be believed, have to update to this "new" science of the soil.

\\Cheers,

Jeff L


______________________________________________
PLANT A ROW FOR THE HUNGRY: Through PAR, over 3 million pounds of food have
been donated by home gardeners like you to feed the hungry. Ask me how you
can join the effort.

============================================================
For a limited time, get a great deal on select HP
Netservers, HP Omnibooks and HP desktop computers. 
Don't delay, these prices won't last. 
http://click.topica.com/caaaiTEbUrGSSbVSZwBf/HewlettPackard
============================================================

GWL has searchable archives at: 
http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters/
If you have photos for GWL, send them to gwlphotos@hort.net and they will show up at  http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos/ 
**************************************************

==^================================================================
This email was sent to: topica.com@spamfodder.com

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bUrGSS.bVSZwB
Or send an email to: Gardenwriters-unsubscribe@topica.com

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^================================================================
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index